Safety railway-switch



(No Model.)

D. H. HOULT. SAFETY RAILWAY-SWITCH. No. 280,476. Patented July 3, 1883.

UNIT D STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

DAVID H. HOULT, OF LANSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,476, dated July 3, 1883.

Application filed January 13, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID H. HOULT, of Lansdale, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Safety Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to switches for railways; and it consists in providing the siding from a main line with asafety-switch of peculiar construction, as fully set forth in the following specificationand shown in the accompanying drawings, which form part there of, and pointed out in the claims.

Heretofore the sidings from main tracks have only been provided with a switch at their j uneture with other tracks, and heavily-loaded cars often run down, by breaking of a brake, 850., upon the main track, or in reach of the express train on the main line, causing a collision, often destroying much property and life.

The object of my invention is to overcome this danger by causing said cars on the sidings to run off either one or both rails of the track onto the cross-ties at some distance from the main line, whereby the said car is arrested out of reach of the trains on the main line.

This device is designed to work automatically, and when set to prevent any possibility of collision it always allows cars to be run on the siding from the main line without danger.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, showing my improved safetyswitch open. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of same on line a: as on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a plan View of a modified form of same, and Fig. 4 is a cross-section similar to Fig. 2, and shows the automatic lock to retain the rail end in line with the track proper when pushed out by a car passing over it.

A .are the main-line rails, and upon which the trains may run in either direction.

B is the siding.

O is the usual switch connecting said siding with the main line.

E is a safety-switch arranged on the siding Bat some distance from the switch 0, and is adapted to open one or both rails of the siding B. In practice I prefer to simply open one. This may be constructed as follows: The fishplate is removed from a joint in the rails, and

one end is made solid,while the other is made flexible by removing sufficient bolts, and may slide laterally on anietal plate, (1, on cross-ties K. The free end D is held by a rod, F,which passes through a spring, G, and is capped with a head, f. The other end of the spring G is supported by a band or yoke, H, which is pivoted to the lever I, pivoted to the block J, and provided with a handle, i,wl1ich may be locked in either of its extreme positions, as in thecase of ordinary switches, by catches L. This mechanism for operating the rail D, I term a springswitch. By this means the continuity of the rail or rails B of the siding may be broken. The switch E being open, a car may be run onto the siding from the main line, as the flanges on its wheels would force out the rail end D, compressing the spring G, which may be of rubber-or metal, and, after passing said rail, would open. In mountainous or hilly districts the sidings are commonly placed on the side of a hill, and in many places it is impossible or inconvenient to make them perfectly level.

Now, if a brake should become deranged, and

the car commence to move down the incline of the siding, itwill be arrested by the break in the track B before reaching the main line A, thus preventing collision. This obviates the necessity of watching the said siding, and can be readily applied to the sidings as nowconstructed with but little expense. hen it is likely that trains will be backed upon the siding by a locomotive to allow the express-train to pass on the main line, the rail may be automatically locked in position after being forced out, so as to make the line continuous by means of the weighted lever M, having notch m and pivoted at m. Any other form of lock may be used. The weighted end of the pivoted lever M causes the notched or light end to rest against the rails, being pressed upward against its flange. Now, if the safety-switch be as shown in Fig. 2, and a train of cars be run upon the siding for a few minutes to allow an express-train to pass, the flanges of the car-wheels push the switchrail D out, so as to put it in line with its sid ing rail, and as the lever I is locked the spring G is compressed. WVhen the rail D is in line with rail B, the notched end of the lever M catches the flange of the rail D and keeps it in line with. its siding-rail. This works automatically to lock the switch and allow the cars to be run off the siding at once, the switch being reset afterward by bringing it once more to the position shown. If desired, an extra piece of rail maybe secured to the outside of part D, as would be indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 1, so that the wheelflange would be caught between the two rails and the car could be readily run back upon the siding.

I am aware of the patent to Nolan, X0. 253,749, of 1882, and claim nothing therein shown or described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination 01' a siding having one continuous rail and one broken rail, with flexible rail 1), locking-lever M, a switch-lever, Il, connecting devices to shift said rail 1), and a I spring to allow of its being moved to complete the continuity of the rails without moving 1ever I, substantially as and for the purpose speci fied.

2. A main railway-track, combined with a siding, a spring-switch, and rail D, to break the continuity of the rail of said siding at a distance from the ordinary switch sufficient to an rest the car and prevent a collision, and a lock to hold the springswitch rail in opposition to the spring of the said switch when forced out by a passing car, so as to make a continuous rail, substantially as and for the purpose speci iied.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

I) AVI l) IlENRY ll'O'U U1.

\Vitnesses:

It. M. HUNTER, 1i. CHILD, Jr. 

